The vaccination of children is age critical, and also critically dependent on proper timing of the doses of the particular vaccine sequence. In the United States there are five immunizations routinely administered to children, some of which are multiple vaccines in one application. Each vaccination sequence must be administered within certain time and age windows or the vaccination may not be effective. The inventor's own child contracted a life-threatening case of the Whooping Cough (pertussis) because of inappropriately administered vaccine.
With all of these sequences, each having a different time sequence and its own number of doses, it is easy for the health professional to become confused, especially if he or she is not in the business of administrating such immunization doses on a routine basis. With a room full of children to inoculate, each having a different immunization history, and each requiring the administration of the next dose of several different vaccinations, the process is time-consuming and it is easy to understand how and even a trained professional will make mistakes.
To further complicate matters, in addition to the recommended timing for delivery of each vaccine, there are medical advisories associated with certain specific combinations of characteristics of age and other factors that must be heeded. Further, the vaccinations that are administered in the United States are not the same as those applied in other countries. Even states in the U.S. vary in their vaccination schedules. When children move from one region to another, or when the health professional is traveling to another health jurisdiction, the incidence of vaccination errors increases.
To clarify dosing schedule differences, improve efficiency, ensure that the appropriate timing is established between doses and to improve decision making accuracy, a job/performance aid is needed in the area of vaccine screening and delivery.